Yoga & Prolapse

‘Pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more of the organs in the pelvis slip down from their normal position and bulge into the vagina. It can be the womb (uterus), bowel, bladder or top of the vagina. A prolapse isn’t life-threatening, but it can cause pain and discomfort. Symptoms can usually be improved with pelvic floor exercises and lifestyle changes, but sometimes medical treatment is needed.’

NHS

It’s important to be guided by a medical professional and to exercise self-care to both make sure the condition does not worsen and also to appropriately strengthen your body.

Yoga can help by:

  • Relieving pressure
  • Strengthening the pelvic floor

Whilst doing anything, but especially when exercising or doing yoga make sure that that is no increased downwards pressure. Your pelvic floor should remain in neutral or lightly lifted the whole of the time. If you feel an increase in downward pressure or of prolapse symptoms you should avoid this exercise or pose, or learn how to do it differently.

It is important that whilst doing yoga that you consciously engage the pelvic floor before moving. The is most important with any abdominal contraction as this places increased pressure on the pelvic floor. By strengthening the abdominals without engaging the pelvic floor can cause damage.

Make sure you do pelvic floor exercises every day without fail, doing fast twitch and slow twitch lifts. With the slow twitch lifts aim towards 10 seconds or slowly drawing up with no release during the lift.

Be careful with any pose that involves abdominal contraction, weight lifting or extreme effort.

  • Poses exercise a lot of caution with: Forward bends, Upper body weight bearing, Lifting both legs in any pose, Lifting both legs in boat, Plank, Deep squats
  • Poses to avoid: anything that places downward pressure on the pelvic floor